Oil filler and breather



Feb. 23. .1926.

' P. THAMM' OIL FILLER AND BREATHE! flriginai-Filed m 2 1920 .awm .Zaul Thamm UNITED error.

PAUL THAMM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO 0. BLAIR WGODBOW'. I

OIL FILLER AND BREATI-IER. V i 1 Refiled for abandoned application Serial No. 384,948, filed May 28, 1920. ,lhis application filed Decembe 27, 1922. Serial No. 6Q9,347.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL THAMM, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil Fillers and Breathers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My present invent-ion relates to a crankcase, the invention being more particularly related to a combined oil-filler and breather for a crankcase.

The principal object of my invention is the provision in a crankcase of a projecting oil-filler chute having a hinged closure which also serves as a breather, the same including a spring pressed diaphragm which is adaptedto respond to the variation of pressure within the crankcase, due to the re ciprocating motion of the piston.

The present application is a substitute for my application filed May 28, 1920, Serial No. 384,948.

My invention consists in the several features and in the construction, combination and arrangement of such features as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

For full understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which I illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention as reduced to practice, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a fragment of the crankcase, showing my improved oil-filler chute and breather attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical cross-section through the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the parts shown in .14 thereof. The forward end of the cup or the drawing, the numeral 8 represents the At its outer end the oil filler chute 7 has a circular opening 8, through which the oil is introduced into the crankcase.

The outer end of the oil-filler chute 7, adjacent the plate 5, is provided with an upstanding lug 9 through which is passed the pint-1e 10, engaged in the knuckles 11, which are cast with the cap or closure plate 13, and by means of which the cap orclosure plate ishingedly connected with the oilfiller chute so as to fit flat upon the top closure plate 13 is cast with a projecting lug 15, designed to fit flat upon a correspondingly projecting lug 16, cast or formed on the oilfiller chute for a purpose presently to appear. I y

The cap or closure plate '13, except for the projecting knuckles 11 and the project'- ing lug- 15, is of circular form, as shown, to conform with the form of the oil-filler chute; and'it is'provided with a central opening 17, adapted to register substantially with the opening 8 of the oil-filler chute. Secured upon the outer face of the cap 18, so as to entirely close the opening-17 therein, is a diaphragm18, made preferably of leather or other suitable fabricated-ma- S0 terial adapted to be flexed in response to variations of pressure which occur within the crankcase. 19 represents a diskeshaped spring, which is curved inwardly all around as at 20, adjacent its circumference and rests upon the diaphragmv 18, opposite or substantially opposite the opening '17. This member 19,21; its central portion 21, is curved outwardly to provide a space 22 for the flexing of the diaphragm in response to pressure. Riveted at 23 to the center of the member 19' is a spring plate 24 which extends outwardly and is bent downwardly at 25 so as to rest flat at 26 upon the diaphragm, and which together with the diaphragm is secured by a rivet 27 to the projecting lug 15. I

The spring 24. is bowed outwardly and downwardly at 28'over both the lugs 15 and 16 and terminates in a hook shaped detent 29, adapted to snap under the lug 16 so as'to hold the cap or closure 13 tightly upon the end of the oil-fillerchute.

When it is desired to introduce oil through detent from the lug 16 and to raise the cap or closure into the position illustrated in Fig. 1. When the cap or closure is swung downwardly and secured upon the oil-filler chute, as shown in Fig. 2, the spring-pressed diaphragm serves as a breather to take care of variation of pressure Within the crankcase and due'to the reciprocating motion of the ].)]St011. For mstance, under the down stroke of a vertically operating! pie ton, the diaphragm will be flexed outwardly in the space provided by the outwardly convexed portion 21 of the disk-shaped element 19; and if the pressure be severe enough, the disk-shaped element, under the yielding of the spring 24, will permit the diaphragm, particularly in the region adjacent the hinged engagement of the cap, to rise from the face of the cap so that the air under pressure may escape from the oil filler-chute. Under the upstroke of the piston, the diaphragm is flexedinwardly to seal "the opening 8; and if the suction produced by the piston is severe enough, the diaphragm will be flexed slightly to perniit the entrance of a small amount of outside air between the diaphragm and the cap at the region adjacent the hinge.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific details of construction and arrangement as herein de scribed and illustrated, as it is manifest that variations and modifications may be made in such features or construction and arrangement, in the adaptation of the device to the various conditions of use, with out departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and'improvements. I, therefore, reserve the right to all such variations and modifications as properly fall within the scope of my invention and the terms of the following claims. I

What I claim is 1. In an oil-filler and breather cap for filling tubes for a crank case of internal combustion engines, a closure therefor including an annular member hingedly connected to said crank case adiacent the mouth of said tube, a flexible diaphragm secured to the upper face of said annular member and means for resiliently pressing said diaphragm against said annular member and and resilient means mounted upon said member and engaging said diaphragm to exert a pressure thereon uniformly distributed along the line of engagement between the diaphragm and the edge of the opening in said cap member. I

3. In a combined oil-filler and breather cap adapted for attachment to a filling tube of a crank case for an engine, a closure therefor hinged to said tube and having an opening therein, a tenth (lltl)lll.t.lll 00v rang and opening, ad a coneaveconvoi spring attached to said closure, and exerting a pressure in said diaphragm substantially coincident with the opening in said closure vfor the purpose of keeping said diaphragm pressed against said. closure.

4:. In a combination with a crank case having an opening, means for closing said opening consisting of a ring-plate hinged to fit flat around said opening, a flexible diaphragm extending over the outer surface of said ring-plate and entirely closing the opening therein, a disk-shaped outwardly curved element bearing on said diaphragm and permitting the flexing thereof, aspring holding said disk-shaped element and secured with said diaphragm to the ringplate, and means for securing said rmg-plate in closet position.

5. In combination with a crank case having an opening and a lug, means for closing said opening consisting of a M ring-plate hinged to fit said opening, a flexible diaphragm extending over the outer surface of said ring-plate and entirely covering the opening therein, a disk-shaped outwardly curved element bearing on said diaphragm and permitting the flexing thereof, and a spring holding said disk-shaped element and secured fast with said diaphragm to the ring-plate opposite the hinged engagement thereof, said spring having a hooked extension adapted to snap under said lug for securing said ring-plate in closed position.

6. The combination of an oil-filler chute having an end with an opening, means for closing said opening consisting of a plate hinged to the oil-filler and adapted to fit on said end and having an opening therethrough adapted to register with said oilfiller chute opening, a flexible diaphragm extending over the outer surface of said hinged plate and entirely covering the opening therein, a disk-shaped outwardly convexed element bearing on said diaphragm and permitting the flexing thereof, a spring holding said disk-shaped element and secured together with said diaphragm to said plate, and 'means for holding said plate tightly on said oil-filler end.

7. The combination of an oil-filler chute having an end with an opening, means for closing said opening consisting of a plate hinged to the oil-filler chute and adapted to fit on said end and having an opening therewith said diaphragm to the end of the oil- 1 through adapted to register with said oilfiller chute at a point opposite the hinged filler opening, a flexible diaphragm extendengagement thereof, said spring having a ing over the outer surface of said hinged hook-shaped detent extension, and means on 5 plate and entirely closing the opening therethe oil-filler chute over which the said detent in, a disk-shaped outwardly curved element may engage. 15 bearing on said diaphragm and permitting In testimony whereof I have aflixed my the flexing thereof, a spring holding said signature. I disk-shaped elementand secured together PAUL THAMM. 

